Last day of school!! Last day of school!!!

Yesterday was the last day of school for my two big boys. And, not just any last day of school....the last day of school as a 2nd and 5th grader. The oldest is headed to middle school...gasp!...and my rising 3rd grader will now be on the "big kid's" side of the school. This is huge! For them and for me :) But, I have to admit...I'm not that sad. I thought I would be inconsolable, depressed, a hot mess actually. But, as I sat in the car line waiting to pick them up...I was excited!! Excited for them, excited for me, excited for summer!!! We have been so fortunate to have an amazing school with remarkable teachers in a small community. My boys have been in this same school since kindergarten with most of the same children, something I did not experience as a child and something I desperately wanted for my children if at all possible. Now, don't get me wrong....as an adult, I can look back and see the advantages to my "moving around" as a child. It made me the resilient, doesn't know a stranger, roll with the flow kinda "grown-up" I am today.  But, now, my oldest is trucking off to Middle School with those same kids he started his school adventure with. And to the Momma who went to 3 different elementary schools....that's pretty cool :)  I wish this same experience for my other two boys. However, if circumstances change and we find ourselves moving on down the line...I know they'll be fine, I've been there...done that. So, as I wait to pick up my boys and hear the kids on the buses yell and cheer as they roll by...I clap and cheer with them! Yes, alone in my car, windows down, sitting in the car line. For that moment...I feel their child like exuberance and cannot wait to get my boys in the car and start our summer adventure!! So here's to summer!!! No projects, no hmwk, low expectations.....staying up late and sleeping in tents, sun kissed noses and popsicles!!! I'm holding on to these great feelings until my boys utter those first "I'm boreds"....which will probably be in about 3 hours......